Just finished The Stone Boudoir - Travels through the Hidden Villages of Sicily by Teresa Maggio, who also wrote Mattanza about the tuna fishermen.

Don't get the wrong idea about the main title; this is about seeing her grandparents' hometown of Santa Margarita and falling in love with Sicily and the people of the towns even most Sicilians probably have not heard of. Didn't go to my grandfather's hometown of Siculiana, but felt what it could be like. Want to go there even more now.

Also took out the Lonely Planet guide from the library which recommends her book, and was a great way to locate where she was writing about. This all began with trying to find out where Cathy's Castle was. [weird--just remembered a friend in California whose name was Cathy Castle.]

Italians and descendants will love this book. Stones, lava, food, feasts, and characters like our cousins and grandparents.

Already finished the first book and my mother has read it too. Says she really identifies with the customs and the names. Her family (and 1/4 of mine) is from Molise/Campobasso, but her uncle (my grandfather) came from a hill town in Sicily. Re-reading to check some things. The bibliography has more good books to check out.

Now reading Maggio's first book, Mattanza, about the tuna fishermen.

Also read a book by Eleanor Herman called Sex with Kings - about the mistresses over 500 years of history. Italians figure in many stories. I never realized how much influence they had, even ruling as queen in every way but the title, and doing a better job than the king in some cases.

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